The Pahrump Valley High School track and field team was sent out in style as they departed for the Nevada State Championships, with friends, family, and school staff lining up to cheer them on. The team received a special escort from SWAT, the Nye County Sheriff’s Office, and Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue, who guided the bus to the edge of town, giving the athletes a memorable and motivational send-off before their competition at Moapa Valley High School.
Eighteen Trojans qualified to compete at the state meet, across various events, which featured the top four athletes from both the northern and southern regions in each event, forming fields of eight. Throughout two full days of competition, the Trojans posted personal records, earned top-four finishes, and showcased the strength and growth of their program.
Competition on Friday began with the 4×800-meter relays. The girls team of Addi Nelsen, Rosie Miller, Alexis Clouser, and Valery Romero ran a season-best time of 11:05.86 to finish fifth overall. The boys team of Antonio Veloz, Eric Figueroa Renteria, Aydon Veloz, and Ben De Santiago delivered a solid performance, finishing fourth with a personal record of 8:14.10 and earning a spot on the podium.
Back: Aydon Veloz, Eric Figueroa Renteria
The events continued with the girls 100-meter hurdles, where Diona Nixon placed eighth with a time of 18.68. Later, the girls 4×200-meter relay team of Diona Nixon, Payton Weaver, Valery Romero, and Sasha Strain took to the track and delivered a strong performance, finishing fifth overall with a time of 1:50.41.
Their effort kept the momentum going into the 1600-meter run, where Jules Ondrisko posted a personal best of 5:40.74 to finish in fourth place. Following the 1600m run, Jules Ondrisko returned to the track for the girls 400 and clocked in at 1:03.60 to finish seventh, while Ben De Santiago raced to third place in the boys 400 with a time of 51.03, securing a medal.
Friday’s field events included Rosie Miller in the high jump, where she cleared 4 feet 8 inches to tie for sixth place. Jayden Crisler also competed Friday, earning one of the team’s top finishes with a second-place jump of 43 feet 6.25 inches in the boys triple jump.
On Saturday morning, Savannah Thompson took seventh in the girls triple jump with a mark of 30 feet 8.5 inches, and Tiler Ledford recorded a personal best of 82 feet 1 inch in the girls discus, placing seventh overall. In the boys high jump, Tristan Schumacher cleared 5 feet 8 inches to earn fifth place, adding another solid finish to the Trojans’ state meet results.
On Saturday, the track opened with the 3200-meter run. Kaylan Robinson finished seventh in the girls race with a time of 14:54.43, and Alexis Clouser came in eighth with a time of 15:13.67. The 300-meter hurdles featured three Lady Trojans. Jules Ondrisko led the trio with a personal best of 49.28 to take sixth, followed by Sasha Strain in seventh at 50.75, and Diona Nixon in eighth at 52.67. On the boys side, Jayden Crisler earned sixth place in the 300 hurdles with a personal record of 42.34, wrapping up an impressive state meet that saw him score in both a track and field event.
In the girls 800-meter run, Jules Ondrisko returned for her fourth event of the weekend and capped it off with a personal best of 2:27.89 to finish fifth. In the boys race, Antonio Veloz continued his standout season with a third-place finish and a personal best of 2:00.74, adding another medal to the Trojans’ tally.
The meet concluded with the high-energy 4×400-meter relays. For the girls, Rosie Miller, Sasha Strain, Valery Romero, and Payton Weaver combined for a fifth-place finish with a time of 4:22.68. The boys team of Antonio Veloz, Tristan Schumacher, Aydon Veloz, and Ben De Santiago closed the meet with a medal-winning third place, finishing in 3:33.74.
Head Coach Dan Nagle praised the athletes for their dedication and performance, saying, “State was a great culmination for a great season. The seniors on this team will be sorely missed and yet the future is bright for PVHS Track!”
The Trojans wrapped up their season with pride, celebrating multiple personal bests, four podium finishes, and the experience of competing against the best in Nevada. For the graduating seniors, it marked a meaningful end to their high school careers, and for the underclassmen, it was a launching point for future success.
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